Lukas Podolski has hit out at Bayern Munich coach Jurgen Klinsmann following his decision to return to Cologne at the end of the season.

The Germany international has agreed a reported 10 million euro transfer to his former club after three disappointing years with Bayern.

Podolski failed to make the grade under Klinsmann’s predecessors Felix Magath and Ottmar Hitzfeld, but thought things would change after shining for Germany at Euro 2008.

But the 23-year-old has now accused Klinsmann of making his third year with the Bundesliga champions as frustrating as his previous two.

”A new coach arrived and there was the chance to give it another go, but I was told immediately I was only the number three striker,” he told Sport Bild magazine.

”(I was told) my development here would last one or two years before I can get past the two (Luca Toni and Miroslav Klose). That was not particularly motivating.” Podolski has been pondering a move away from Bayern since then and Cologne were the only other club he could imagine playing for.

”They have impressed me a lot,” he said. ”They want to take the club forward and I fit in there because I want to …

Out-of-favour Bayern Munich striker Lukas Podolski has agreed to return to his former club Cologne at the end of the season, ending months of speculation over his future.

“I have agreed a deal with Cologne starting from July 1, 2009,” the 23-year-old striker said on his personal website.

“I am glad the decision for my future has been taken and all speculation about me is finally over.”

No details of the deal were released but Podolski will reportedly cost Cologne 10 million euros, roughly the same fee Bayern paid for him in 2006.

Podolski, who has been a very successful striker for the national team scoring 31 goals in 60 appearances, could not find a regular starting spot at Bayern since signing for the champions.

The recent addition of striker Landon Donovan, on loan from the Los Angeles Galaxy, and the signing of Hamburg’s Ivica Olic will boost the Bayern attack from next season, making matters worse for Podolski.

He already had to compete with established strikers Miroslav Klose and Luca Toni.

“I have had very good discussions with (Cologne coach) Christoph Daum and (Cologne manager) Michael Meier and I am fully convinced of the club’s concept. I look forward …

Bayern Munich general manager Uli Hoeness has slapped a 150 million euro price tag on midfielder Franck Ribery.

The France international was a reported target for AC Milan, who were thought to see him as a possible replacement for Kaka before his proposed move to Manchester City fell through last night.

Hoeness, though, values the former Marseille man higher than the Brazilian.

“If Kaka is meant to be worth 120 million, then Franck Ribery is worth 150 million,” Hoeness told Eurosport television. “We would only perhaps start to consider selling him at a sum like this.”

Ribery, 25, has a contract running to 2011 but recently said he would enjoy playing for other European clubs.

“Bayern are obviously one of the biggest and best clubs in the world,” he said late last year. “Obviously there are other clubs that would be a dream: Real Madrid and Barcelona, Chelsea and Manchester United.”

“I certainly love Real Madrid because of the great tradition but I feel happy here at Bayern. We will have to wait and see what the future holds.”…

Manchester City have made an official approach for Hamburg midfielder Nigel de Jong, the Bundesliga’s director of sport Dietmar Beiersdorfer confirmed.

Beiersdorfer told the Hamburger Abendblatt newspaper the rumoured interest from the Premier League club ”is true”.

”Manchester City have made us an offer,” he added at the north German club’s winter training camp in La Manga.

Beiersdorfer revealed he would discuss the offer with the player and his agent, but early indications appear to suggest the club are ready to accept it.

De Jong’s contract, which expires next year, contains a clause that would allow him to leave in the summer for only 2 million euros, while City’s offer is a reported 15 million euros (£13.3million).

Beiersdorfer, though, claims he is not convinced De Jong will be keen to join City.

”I have spoken with him about Real Madrid and other clubs in that category, but not about City,” he told Die Welt newspaper. ”I will now speak with his agent and see what happens.”

De Jong, though, appears rather more amenable to the switch, saying: ”Everybody knows that I would like to play for a big club eventually.

”I count Manchester City in that category. I will take …

Bayern Munich general manager Uli Hoeness expects Ukraine forward Anatoliy Tymoschuk to join the club in the summer.

The Zenit St Petersburg player visited Munich before Christmas, where he held negotiations with Hoeness and Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

He left without reaching any agreement, but Hoeness expects him to get back in touch within a month to accept their offer.

“Timoschuk wants to get back to us by the end of January,” Hoeness revealed to the Bild newspaper.

“It seems like he does want to join FC Bayern, but only on his terms.

“We also want him, but obviously only on our terms. I believe he will sign on with us soon.”

Should the 29-year-old agree to join, he would become the second new arrival at the record German champions in June after Ivica Olic was confirmed on a free transfer from Hamburg.

However, Tymoschuk would not be so cheap. A fee of €15 million should be enough to tempt Zenit into selling.…

Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich are on the verge of signing Croatia striker Ivica Olic from Hamburg SV for next season.

“We have agreed,” general manager Uli Hoeness told Bayern’s website on Saturday. “All that is missing now are the signatures on the contract.”

The Olic deal could speed up the departure of striker Lukas Podolski, a regular for Germany but a fringe player at Bayern.

Podolski has also seen United States striker Landon Donovan arrive on loan from the Los Angeles Galaxy.

According to German media reports, Podolski may return to his former club Cologne or join AS Roma.…

Wantaway Bayern Munich striker Lukas Podolski claims Italian side Roma are interested in signing him.

The 23-year-old Germany frontman has requested a move away from Bavaria after growing frustrated with the lack of opportunities under Jurgen Klinsmann this season.

The Giallorossi are short of firepower with captain Francesco Totti sidelined through injury, and Podolski reckons they are after him.

“I know Roma are tracking me and would like to sign me,” Podolski told Corriere dello Sport.

“I would have no problems in moving there, as they are a big club – although I doubt Romans can speak Kolsch (dialect spoken in Cologne)!”

Cologne have been widely considered as front-runners to clinch Podolski’s signature, with the player keen to return to his hometown club.

But he is keeping his options open and would appear to also relish a move to the Eternal City.

“I need to play and cannot keep sitting on the bench,” he said. “I am not comfortable staying in Munich any longer and I feel the time has come to leave to return to doing my job (playing).

“I think I’m ready for an experience abroad, including Italy.”…

Mark van Bommel looks set to reject Bayern Munich’s offer of a new one-year contract.

The 31-year-old Holland midfielder, whose current deal expires in June, was offered a 12-month extension just before Christmas but wants a more long-term arrangement.

”I would like to stay, but one year is not long for somebody who will soon be 32,” he said.

”Therefore I am unhappy with the offer. I have asked for time until the end of January to consider things and I will now be using all of that time.

”I am already tending towards one option, but I cannot reveal that yet.”

Van Bommel confirmed that he has not received any offers other than Bayern’s, but by taking his time until the end of the month expects other clubs to be alerted to his availability.

”No club knows that I could be available yet,” he said to the Bild am Sonntag newspaper.

”But when that comes out, certainly other clubs will get in touch.”

…